Tagged: American Measurement Standard

Appraisal news for real estate appraisers and real estate professionals regarding the American Measurement Standard® (AMS).

The Missing Standard - It's Time to Make a Measurement Standard Mandatory! 34

The Missing Standard

What can we do to establish a national measurement standard for appraisers? Every week I talk to appraisers in different parts of the country and the conversations are almost always the same. Square footage errors are a problem everywhere, some places worse than others. Every appraiser seems to understand the problem and many of them complain about the real estate agents, home-owners, and even underwriters who challenge them about their square footage totals. They rely on the “Official Record” they believe is listed by the local tax department. Who teaches them this stuff? How is it possible the general public...

American Measurement Standard / American National Standards Institute / AMS / ANSI / Appraisal / Appraisal News

Real, Real Estate Reform Needed 5

Real, Real Estate Reform Needed

What a crazy system we have grown into since Dodd-Frank. All this talk about “Big Data” and “Standardization” makes me want to scream! Enough is enough. Before we get to the appraisal process discussion, let’s talk about how real estate is priced all across this country. Realtors® price homes, period. No Big Data, no thoughts of mortgage risk, accuracy, consistency, transparency, and no one is looking over their shoulders asking “why” on every choice they make. No regression analysis, no quality or condition ratings, not too much of anything that resembles an appraisal these days. Yet, they are quick to...

American Measurement Standard / American National Standards Institute / AMS / ANSI / Appraisal / Appraisal News

6

Indeed, Size Matters!

Many agents have asked; “Does this square footage stuff really matter to me? Isn’t it more of an appraisal issue? Fair questions. Let’s take a look at one sale where the agent now understands just how square footage affects a listing value. It was a hard lesson in the importance of square footage, and one they will not soon forget.

American Measurement Standard / American National Standards Institute / AMS / ANSI / Appraisal / Appraisal News

House measurement square footage 6

How Big is My House?

As a house gets older the wood begins to shrink… Do you ever get those questions? “Well ABC appraised my house last year and my house was 3,726 square feet. Why do you say it only contains 3,698 square feet?”. I have always wanted to say, well as your house gets older, the wood begins to shrink… Everyone knows of course that houses come in different sizes, shapes and that walls can be built at angles other than 90, 60 or 45 degrees, thus accurate measuring can be a challenge. When you factor in roof pitch for upstairs rooms, or...

American Measurement Standard / American National Standards Institute / AMS / ANSI / Appraisal / Appraisal News

Two Measurement Standards: ANSI vs. AMS 13

Two Measurement Standards: ANSI vs. AMS

Are you really following the ANSI ® home measurement standard? When the ANSI ® standard isn’t really ANSI ® Many agents (and appraisers) claim to be using the ANSI ® measurement standard, when in fact they are using the American Measurement Standard®. And, there’s no one rushing to teach them the difference. Industry leaders have taken a “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy, and square footage remains a source of confusion in the real estate industry. In many parts of the country, agents and appraisers are disclosing to their clients that they strictly adhere to the ANSI ® measurement standard. But,...

American Measurement Standard / American National Standards Institute / AMS / ANSI / Appraisal / Appraisal News

xml sitemap
blank